


Dear to Me

by cyndario



Series: Shudun Ryder | Seasons Change [4]
Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Family Feels, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2017-11-10
Packaged: 2019-01-31 09:54:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12679491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyndario/pseuds/cyndario
Summary: Shudun pays her brother a visit.





	Dear to Me

Shudun’s exhale was heavy as she kept her back along the wall, taking in the sight of her comatose brother. She had just arrived back from Prodromos. Everyone there had heralded her for doing the impossible--making the desert wasteland habitable.

 

But she didn't very much feel like a hero. Not now.

 

Steeling herself, she took out a datapad and began syncing footage from her omnitool onto the device. As the systems ran their course, Shudun looked up and made her way over to where Jabbar lay. His chest rose--slowly, silently--and after a few seconds he exhaled. It was automatic. And focusing on that sign of life she settled down on the cot beside him, sucking her teeth in aggravation when she could hardly get comfortable.

 

Shooting his unconscious form a glare, she nudged him playfully as she opened her mouth to scold him.

 

“Not even fucking conscious and your big ass still hogs up all the space.” She teased softly, willing the sharpness behind her eyes to not produce tears.

 

Reaching out slowly, she ran a hand along the standard medical sheets, suddenly at a loss for words. His unmoving form was nerve wracking, the steady rise and fall of his chest scaring her more than it should.

 

She had to remember why she was here.

 

“Hey, I… I got you some vids downloading. I know you're gonna be pissy that you missed out on these damn homeworlds but… this is the best I got.” The machine’s steady beep was impersonal, intruding on her voice and the thoughts she wanted to express. Shaking her head, recollections of the Vault echoed in her mind as she poked him lightly in the side. “Trust me, you're safer here.” She muttered, the unwanted memory of seeing their father take off his helmet flashing before her. Sighing, she tried to focus yet again.

 

“So you know… anytime you wanna wake up and help your big sister foster ‘peace and goodwill’ and all that bullshit I’ll be waiting.” Shudun’s words held a false optimism, the desperation she felt in wanting her brother to open his eyes seeping into her voice. An errant tear fell then, as she watched his chest rise and fall as it had been doing since they got to this forsaken system.

 

Wiping it away, she stood up and made her way to the other side of the bed. Leaning down she placed a kiss on his forehead, just as she flicked the shell of his ear. A part of her expected his whine and subsequent retaliation in the form of a flick to her own ear, but none came. Pulling back, she watched as the datapad chimed that the sync was complete, and made her way towards the door.

 

Looking over her shoulder one last time, Shudun watched as his chest rose—and held—then released the air in his lungs, the process repeating seconds later. Smiling ruefully, she called out to him one last time.

 

“Just don't make me wait too long… okay?”

 

The silent exhale and soft beeping from the machinery was her reply, and with heavy shoulders Shudun stepped out of the infirmary and back out into the tram.

 

She promised to come see him again another day.

**Author's Note:**

> may i introduce you to Jabbar, the younger of the Ryder twins.  
> i'm not fully back in my groove, but i'm trying.


End file.
